Weekly Gratitude Journal

My last post was all the way back on July fifth! I don't think I've ever gone this long without posting here. I have a lot of excuses-our busy ministry life, a nice long visit from my east coast kids and grandkids-but then those excuses don't really cover the days that I did have the time to sit down and post but just didn't do it. Well, today I'm determined to do some catching up for those of you that may still be hanging around here in the blogosphere. I'll post all of the rest of July's gratitude list today and then next week I'll catch up on August's gratitude list.

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#15,889-#15,983

7-5-2022-

-finally getting some dreaded paperwork finished

-big yellow butterflies flitting about in our neighborhood park

-my Visionary Leadership Team

-the women of our church participating in a How to Study the Bible class via zoom! 

(Taught by our unofficially adopted granddaughter who did a wonderful job teaching it! 

I'm so proud of her!)

7-6-2022-

-my youngest brother-today is his birthday!

-laughing aloud with my two granddaughters at the newest Minions movie

-an important approval on that paperwork I did

-a good report about tonight's meeting

7-7-2022-

-talking and praying with my oldest granddaughter

-a really good Bible study and conversation afterwards

-God answering prayer

7-8-2022-

-a beautiful day trip to the beach and a nice long beach walk

-finding a piece of seaglass

-seeing a bald eagle perched in a treetop

-my husband playing fetch with our dog on the beach

7-9-2022-

-a beautiful summer morning

-a long phone chat with my youngest daughter

-listening to good teaching and worship while doing chores

-my husband doing some grocery shopping for me

-a clean house

7-10-2022-

-God's Word

-lunch with friends

-answered prayer for my daughter getting tickets home

7-11-2022-

-hot summer days and a house with AC

-a walk before it gets too hot

-study time for tomorrow's meeting

7-12-2002-

-Nathaniel Bassey's Names of God album

-baking a lemon-blueberry cake

-a beautiful gathering with the women of Truelife

7-13-2022-

-tickets purchased by my daughter to come home for grandkid cabin time!

-a beautiful drive around Mt. Hood and through the Columbia River Gorge 

-God's provision of a job for our granddaughter

7-14-2022-

-getting some yard work done

-the Sermon on the Mount

-a safe flight here for our youngest daughter and her two kiddos

-a really good Truelife Heritage meeting

-making homemade cinnamon rolls

7-15-2022-

-a beautiful drive to Estacada

-a fun morning with our daughter and her in-laws and our two grandkids 

-a summer afternoon nap

7-16-2022-

-John 13-17

- time with my guy before all of the kids and grandkids are here

-phone calls with my sisters

7-17-2022-

-the wonderful presence of God in worship and in the word

-a good visit with our oldest daughter and her family and our youngest daughter and her two littles

-our daughters and our grandkids

7-18-2022-

-this time with our daughter and grandkids

-my nephew bringing over donuts

-Papa buying the grandkids, and me!, a treat at the store

-an big answer to prayer for a loved one

7-19-2022-

-a day at Lake Merwin

-our grandkids love for my nephew and his love for them

-fresh summer fruit

7-20-2022-

-a walk to the park with two of my grandkids

-a safe drive to Seattle and back to pick up my second born daughter and her two youngest kids

-worshipping on the drive 

7-21-2022-

-N's weekly prayer points

-our youngest daughter giving our youngest grandson a haircut on our back yard patio

-grandkids taking bubble baths one by one in our big spa tub

-new shoes and a new lunch box for our grandson's upcoming first day of kindergarten

-some quiet time with my guy after everyone went to bed

7-22-2022-

-finding moments to spend some quiet time with Jesus with a house full of family

-a bit of time with just me and my youngest grandson

-taking him on a nice long walk (in his stroller)

7-23-2022-

-grandkids playing in the sprinkler

-this time with my girls and grandkids

-our daughter's generosity

7-24-2022-

-a good day in God's house

-new faces and some not so new ones back again

-root beer floats on a hot summer day

-God's provision

7-25-2022-

-baking bread

-a bit of time to tidy the house while youngest grandson naps and everyone else is out of the house

-a beautiful evening with our growth group

-good reports from the other GG as well

7-26-2022-

-my husband's medical procedure went well

-going to the lake and splash pad with my daughters and grandkids

-burgers and hotdogs on the grill for dinner

7-27-2022-

-breakfast and coffee outside on the patio with the family

-a beautiful day at the river in Canby

-$2 for large root beer floats at the A&W

-an old fashioned merry-go-round at the park

7-28-2022-

-my youngest daughter helping me shop for grandkid cabin time

-laughing with my five year old grandson over old phone photos and videos

-central air! a dishwasher! -a washer and dryer!

7-29-2022-

-two little grandkids sleeping in my bed

-another posterior viscous detachment in my other eye-but no retinal damage!

-a super helpful health insurance rep.

7-30-2022-

-breakfast with friends

-a few quiet hours to get ready for tomorrow's trip to the cabin

-my guy buying me something I've been wanting

7-31-2022-

-hot coffee and reading the book of Philippians in the wee hours

-a great message 

-a safe drive to the cabin

-being with my girls and grandkids at the cabin

still following,

Weekly Gratitude Journal

I will be turning sixty-five next month. And yet, I am still growing, learning and changing in my walk with God. God is a Person. He wants us to know Him deeply and intimately. He wants us to walk in relationship with Him. There is never a point in life where I want to stop growing, learning and changing. There is never a point where the beautiful vastness of who God is can be fully comprehended by my finite mind.

Sometimes, in my daily life, I get restless with the same old routines, the same old scenery. I have a brother who just took off in an RV with no agenda but to see the wonder and beauty of our country. That sounds delightful to me. Sometimes I hanker for adventure and to see more of God's beautiful creation. But right now, God has not told my husband and I that it's time to retire and to leave our post, to leave this ministry He has called us to. Yes, we will still have vacations and chances to get away, but without even leaving home I can be an explorer. There is unlimited width, and length and height and depth to God's love, to His character, to His heart, His Word, His ways and His will for me to explore. There is adventure to be found and beauty to be seen in Who He is and in this laid down life of service and sacrifice for Him. And right here, in the middle of my same old routines and same old scenery, there is always, always, always something to be thankful for. There is always a reason to overflow with gratitude to Him Who is worthy of all of my thanksgiving and praise.

***************************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#15,841-#15,888

6-20-2022-

-taking our granddaughters out for a fancy breakfast at La Provence

-them having a lot of fun playing with my great-nephew

-knowing that God is good and trustworthy and perfect in all of His ways

6-21-2022-

-a good night's sleep and waking up feeling great after thinking I might be getting sick

-the first day of summer!

-summer-y weather forecasted for this whole week

6-22-2022-

-favor at an appointment I had

-free tire repair service

-my granddaughter fell down steps while holding a glass bottle but, thank God,

 only needing two stitches in her hand instead of a much more serious injury

6-23-2022-

-this beautiful summer day

-my brother coming by my house for a visit before leaving on his big adventure

-sweet videos of my Florida grandkids in their VBS program

6-24-2022-

-Roe v. Wade overturned!

-my son-in-law - today is his birthday

-cooking breakfast outside

6-25-2022-

-listening to audio books while I run errands and do chores

-my guy power washing out patio

-God's provision and blessing

6-26-2022-

-God is building His church

-God at work in us

-lunch with friends

6-27-2022-

-God's faithful provision

-burgers on the grill

-our home being a gathering place for women to eat, talk about God and our growth in Him and to laugh, cry and pray together

6-28-2022-

-another son-in-law celebrating his birthday today

-youngest granddaughter did not break her foot after a scary accident

-encouraging reports about our growth groups

6-29-2022-

-facetime with our far away grandkids

-working outside in the yard

-a friend hauling an old grill and fire pit to the metal recycling for us

6-30-2022-

-summer mornings/evenings out on the patio

-a thank you note from our neighbors for the work I did on our shared flowerbed

-a sale on meat

-encouragement

7-1-2022-

-Friday date day with my guy

-lunch on the river

-periwinkle blue hydrangeas from our yard

7-2-2022-

-spending time with a friend

-listening to a great teaching

-a long chat with my South Carolina daughter

7-3-2022-

-our church

-a delicious bbq/potluck together

-a fun and delicious homemade ice cream contest

7-4-2022-

-our country

-working together with my husband on our garden shed

-a fun fourth of July BBQ with friends

still following,